Hong Kong Young Writers Anthologies Fiction Group 2 - 2 | Page 63

Life on an Explorer’s Boat
Singapore International School, Chia, Rachel - 10
Once the boat sets sail, there’s no turning back. Getting sea sick is not an option and neither is bad weather.
Admiral Zheng He looked back at the shore with the wind howling loudly at his ear and the thunder
rumbling. It was now a thunderstorm and the lightning flashed above him. Rain poured down on him and
he looked up at the dark, cloudy sky and sighed. Tonight’s sailing was not going to be smooth at all. The
waves were bumpy and the crew were checking that all the systems were working. The first mate directed
the third mate, the two engineers and the two bosun’s mates as they all ran around the ship, fiddling with
levers and dials of all kinds.
“Sir! All systems are working!” exclaimed the first mate. Zheng He nodded as he carefully watched the
second mate maintaining up to date navigational information.
“We will arrive at Champa in a few days” the second mate announced with delight. The wind seemed
to swallow his words but Zheng he could still hear a far-away like voice. Zheng He nodded once again and
went into his cabin to rest for tomorrow. Zheng He turned and tossed in his bed, not able to fall asleep. The
thunderstorm was still going on but was slightly stronger than before and the ships were tossed about in the
waves. And at last, rocking with the waves, Zheng He fell asleep.
The next day, Zheng He woke up to the sound of heavy rain and thunder. Flashes of lightning
appeared in the sky and rain heavily poured down the cabin window. The thunderstorm was still going on
but it was worse than the day before. Zheng He scrambled out of bed and went out to the deck to see how
things were. The cook and cook’s assistant were in the kitchen preparing breakfast, and the first mate, bosun
and the two bosun Mates, the chief engineer and second engineer were preparing the ship for a coming
storm that the first mate had predicted. Zheng He looked around and turned to see a piece of rigging that
was supporting the ship’s front masts and sails loose. He gasped and ran towards the loose piece of rigging
and tried to secure it, but the wind was just way too strong. He needed help. And fast. In no time at all, the
ship’s mast and sails would fall and the ship would stop moving and go off its course, making it even harder
to reach Champa along with the terrible weather. Zheng He immediately ran towards the quarterdeck,
hoping to find the crew members there.
“Guys! It’s an emergency! The rigging for the front sails and masts are loose! The ship will be out of
control and we will go off our course! We might not be able to reach Champa then!” yelled Zheng He as
he pounded on the door of the quarterdeck. A few moments later, all the crew members came running out
of the room and to the front sails and masts.
“Yes, Captain! We’re here!” they saluted. Zheng He ordered the engineers to check that all the
equipment were working, told the second mate to constantly check when the storm was going to arrive, and
finally, told the bosun and the two bosun mates to follow him. They arrived at the sails and began to work.
They tied secured knots on the masts, connected the sails to the masts by tying dead knots onto them, and at
last, made sure the riggings were tight.
“Captain! We are on course! We will arrive at Champa hopefully around tomorrow at midnight or
so.” exclaimed the second Mate excitedly. Zheng He nodded happily and went to check on the engineers.
“Captain! All systems are working down below! We should be fine. Tell everyone that the first mate
said we will be approaching a storm in about twenty minutes.!” the chief engineer shouted. Zheng He
nodded and gulped. The storm was coming soon.
Twenty Minutes past and the ship was going to go through the storm. Lightning flashed and thunder
roared. Rain poured heavily down the windows as the wind howled loudly. “Everyone in their cabins
except for me and the captain. Zheng He, meet me at the ship’s wheel!” commanded the first mate. Zheng
He ran to the ship’s wheel as the first mate waited impatiently. “Come on! We’ve got to steer the boat out
of the storm!” Zheng He and the first mate grabbed onto the ship’s wheel and tried to control the boat. The
waves rocked the boat violently and the boat tilted side to side. Suddenly, the first mate accidentally jerked
the ship’s wheel to the left and the boat tilted to the right. Zheng He and the first mate were flung from one
side of the ship’s wheel to the other. Zheng He however managed to grab the ship’s wheel and pulled the
first mate back to the helm. Moments of anxiety passed from then on, they had almost made a big mistake